MICE returns for 2022: Rumble Coffee at the Melbourne International Coffee Expo
What a big week the coffee world has had! Every year, Melbourne hosts the Melbourne International Coffee Expo, (also known as MICE), and it's an event where the best of coffee culture from all across the world unite for Melbourne Coffee Week. This year was an extra special year, due to it being the return of the expo after COVID.
WHAT IS MICE?
At MICE, Melbourne's best coffee roasters show off their coffee blends and single origins, equipment manufacturers showcase their latest technologies, and coffee lovers get to taste a variety of the very best of Melbourne's specialty coffee. This must-attend event provides many networking opportunities for the coffee world, real business opportunities for coffee roasters, and café owners alike, and frequently hosts the World Brewers Cup, and the World Barista Championships, where baristas who have spent years honing their coffee talent, compete in the world coffee championships.
WORLD BARISTA CHAMPIONSHIPS
The World Barista Championships and World Brewers Cup involve baristas selecting the coffee beans which they compete with, and demonstrating their selected way of making that coffee, following which a panel of judges taste and score their coffees. We had the privilege of hosting the Dutch barista champion, Jasper de Waal at Rumble for a practice session. He made some excellent coffee, and was asemi-finalist, scoring 10th place at the World Barista Championships, and our team loved talking all things coffee with him.
We were honoured to attend MICE in Melbourne's CBD, alongside Barista Technology, and La Marzocco, and feature some of our amazing coffee using their top-of-the-range, coffee industry machinery. This offered us the opportunity to connect with the coffee community, both in Melbourne and also across the world.
RUMBLE X BARISTA TECHNOLOGY
Our time at the Barista Technology stand was a collaboration between Rumble Coffee Roasters, and some of the best equipment manufacturers around, such as Puqpress, Flow, Bentwood, Perfect Moose, and Barista Improving Taste. Something that we believe in at Rumble is investing in these cafe automation tools, which save time, allow for more consistency, and ultimately allow the coffee industry to perform its best. The Rumble team enjoyed using these amazing coffee tools and connecting with the wider coffee community.
During our time with the Barista Tech team, our Haymaker house blend and the Norvey De Jesus Estrada single origin proved to be standout coffees.
Connecting with other coffee professionals, who also care deeply about improving the industry, and drinking better coffee, was also a highlight of our time with Barista Technology.
RUMBLE X LA MARZOCCO
Our morning at the La Marzocco 'True Artisan Cafe' was an excellent opportunity to showcase Rumble Coffee Roasters, as well as the latest La Marzocco Modbar Coffee Machine. This coffee machine can make both espresso coffee and has an automatic pour-over unit to make filter coffee.
We noticed right from the start of the day, coffee lovers, and café owners were flocking to the La Marzocco stand, to see this sleek coffee machine in action. During our time at the La Marzocco True Artisan Cafe, we showcased a Geisha (one of the finest specialty coffee varietals around) as our filter coffee option, as well as our Haymaker house blend for flat whites, and our Colombia Ubaque single origin for espresso coffees.
Overall, MICE is the best week in the wider coffee world, and a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the coffee culture of Melbourne, and across the globe. Our team had the opportunity of reconnecting with old friends from the industry, drink some delicious specialty coffee, and get inspired by other coffee roasters who are doing great things for the industry, and roasting delicious coffee!